5 Predictions for the 2025 MLB Draft

While MLB fans will be focused on the All-Star Game and Home Run Derby next week, front offices will redirect their attention to the MLB draft, which begins on Sunday.

Though it doesn't come with the fireworks that the NFL and NBA versions do, it's still an exciting time as teams try to build for their futures.

Here are five predictions for the 2025 MLB draft.

Keith Law of the Athletic, Kiley McDaniel of ESPN and Jim Callis of MLB.com all have projected in their latest mocks that the Washington Nationals will select Kade Anderson with the first pick in the draft.

The Nationals did fire president of baseball operations Mike Rizzo—along with manager Dave Martinez—this past weekend, though presumably the organization isn't going to drastically change course on this pick with an interim front office in place.

Anderson went 12-1 with a 3.18 ERA and a staggering 180 strikeouts over 119 innings in his sophomore collegiate season at LSU.

B/R's Joel Reuter has comped him to Max Fried, who is having a tremendous first season with the Yankees after an eight-year run with the Atlanta Braves earned him a $218 million contract in New York.

Washington needs help in its starting rotation, as even with MacKenzie Gore making the NL All-Star team, it is currently 26th in ERA among its starting pitchers.

However, if Josiah Gray returns from Tommy John surgery in an effective manner, Anderson rises relatively quickly and Nationals ownership recommits to spending in free agency, Washington could turn around in relatively short order.

The Angels have made six consecutive first-round picks of collegiate players.

2019: Will Wilson, SS, NC State University

2020: Reid Detmers, LHP, University of Louisville

2021: Sam Bachman, RHP, Miami University of Ohio

2022: Zach Neto, SS, Campbell University

2023: Nolan Schanuel, 1B, Florida Atlantic University

2024: Christian Moore, 2B, University of Tennessee

Whether that's always the best strategy or not, there's no reason to believe general manager Perry Minasian and scouting director Tim McIlvaine are going to change from what's been the organization's thinking even before both arrived.

Obviously, if Anderson isn't taken with the top overall pick by the Nationals, he would be a candidate for the Angels with the No. 2 selection and probably plug into their rotation before the end of the season.

Other possibilities at this spot would be Florida State lefty Jamie Arnold, Tennessee southpaw Liam Doyle and Oregon State shortstop Aiva Arquette. More options could come into play if the Halos try to go underslot.

MLB Pipeline's Jim Callis says the White Sox "are locked in on high school shortstops" as they consider their options at No. 10.

Obviously, what they'll be able to do with their first-round pick will depend upon who isn't taken in the first eight selections, but there's reason to believe that the Chi Sox will be in a good spot if they are intent on taking a prep shortstop.

JoJo Parker of Purvis High School in Mississippi, Billy Carlson of Corona High School in California, Daniel Pierce of Mill Creek High School in Georgia and Kayson Cunningham of Johnson High School in Texas are all prep shortstops mocked in the first round.

Ethan Holliday likely won't make it to No. 10, but there's a real chance most, if not all, of the other prep shortstops are still on the board for general manager Chris Getz and scouting director Mike Shirley.

Under the old system, the White Sox would have been picking No. 1 overall after a historically poor 2024 season saw them go 41-121. But in an attempt to curb tanking, they weren't eligible to have a top-six pick for a second year in a row because they pay into revenue sharing, as opposed to receiving from the system.

So, they will have to make due with the 10th selection.

If things go as expected, the Nationals are going to take Anderson No. 1 overall, with the Angels taking a collegiate player as well at No. 2. The Mariners could continue the run on college picks at No. 3, but we're projecting they'll take a prep arm.

Seth Hernandez is a 19-year-old righty from Corona High School in California who Baseball America has ranked as the No. 2 overall prospect in this draft class, saying "he's one of the most talented prep arms in the last decade or so, with the sort of upside that puts his name in the same phylum as Hunter Greene, MacKenzie Gore and Jackson Jobe."

There's volatility in taking high school pitchers, but Green and Gore were both top-five picks who have developed into All-Stars.

Coming into the season, there was a ton of excitement about Jobe, but he underwent Tommy John surgery last month. Still, he is only 22 and should be a key long-term cog in Detroit.

If Hernandez is as good as that trio, he's worthy of a top-five pick. The Mariners are rich in pitching, but by the time Hernandez is ready for the majors, Luis Castillo's contract may be over and Logan Gilbert and George Kirby will be close to free agency.

At worst, Hernandez can make a rich rotation even richer in a few years.

Matt Holliday may never have actually touched home plate in Game 163 of the 2007 season, but he was at the forefront of the greatest run in franchise history.

The Rockies won 21 of their final 29 games to sneak into the playoffs. Holliday, that year's NL MVP runner-up, ultimately helped them reach the World Series for the first time in franchise history.

Nearly two decades later, could Ethan—Holliday's son and younger brother of Baltimore Orioles infielder Jackson Holliday—continue the family legacy in Denver?

The Athletic's Keith Law noted "rumor is the Rockies would go over slot to get Holliday here." That could well be enough to convince Ethan not to attend Oklahoma State and instead go pro with the team that once selected his dad in the seventh round of the 1998 draft.

Beyond having a last name with ties to franchise royalty, Holliday has a chance to be the type of special player Colorado needs to begin restocking its system with.

The Rockies are a disaster at the MLB level, and Joel Reuter of B/R ranked their farm system as 20th in the sport in his most recent update, so it's not like they are sitting on a bounty of young talent ready to change their fortunes in the near future.

The 18-year-old is the No. 1-ranked prep player in the country, per Perfect Game. This comes after he hit a crisp .617 with 16 home runs and 51 RBI in his senior season at Stillwater High School in Oklahoma, per Max Preps.

Holliday is 6'4" and approximately 200 pounds, which would seem to make him big for a shortstop. However, Corey Seager has made it work at 6'3", 215 pounds. And if Holliday is as good of a hitter as expected, it would be no problem if he eventually becomes a third baseman.

Law has him ranked as the top player in this draft class overall, saying he "offers the best combination of upside and probability in the class."

He may not arrive as quickly as a collegiate player, but between his upside and ties to the organization, Holliday would be worth the wait.